The present invention relates to a computer system composed of a computer and storage systems, and in particular relates to a technology for managing fault.
Remote copy technology is commonly used in order to enhance data reliability in computer systems that include a computer and storage systems for storing data. Some computer systems that employ remote copy technology are equipped with multiple storage systems connected by means of data lines (e.g. Fibre Channel) to make up a network, and a computer connected to some of these multiple storage systems. In such a computer system, both storage systems that are connected to the computer and storage systems that are not connected to the computer are present.
Technologies using cascading commands to control storage systems not connected to a computer are known. Specifically, the computer issues a cascading command includes information about the cascading route to a storage system targeted for control and a command to the targeted storage system. In accordance with the information about the cascading route, the issued cascading command is cascaded from the storage system connected to the computer to the storage system targeted for control over the storage system network. The storage system targeted for control then executes processing in accordance with the received cascading command. The response includes the processing result etc. is sent back over the cascading route of the cascading command from the storage system targeted for control to the computer.
In a conventional computer system, by means of the cascading commands described above, the computer is notified of a fault occurring in a storage system not connected to the computer. Specifically, the computer periodically issues cascading commands to request notification of fault, the cascading commands being addressed to particular storage systems. And in response to the cascading commands the storage systems notify the computer of fault occurring in the storage systems themselves.